Karla's Blog

January 24, 2022

I don’t recall ever in my life practicing civil disobedience. I don’t believe I ever had the courage. The closest to it may have been once, long ago, when I wanted to go to a friend’s house and my mom said no. I went anyway. But that doesn’t actually qualify as civil disobedience. According to The Free Dictionary civil disobedience is:

“A symbolic, non-violent violation of the law, done deliberately in protest against some form of perceived injustice. Mere dissent, protest, or disobedience of the law does not qualify. The act must be nonviolent, open and visible, illegal, performed for the moral purpose of protesting an injustice, and done with the expectation of being punished.”

The expectation of being punished. Wow, think about that. That could look like many different things and those in power count on us being too cowardly to confront this possibility, no matter the ludicrous nature of the law or mandate. We simply fall into line while regurgitating what we’ve been told to justify our compliance, whether we truly believe it or not.

And we do this while admiring and honoring historical figures who themselves practiced civil disobedience, figures such as Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, Rosa Parks and Muhammed Ali. Famous American philosopher and poet, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), claimed that the individual is “a higher and independent power” from which the state obtains its authority. As individuals, people must not wait for the government to recognize injustice and instigate reform, Thoreau said, because the machinery of government moves too slowly. If individuals have right on their side, then they must do right by trying to peacefully and openly change society.

So, what is this all about? For me, it’s about masks. It’s about the unconstitutional mask mandates that continue on and on and on, especially here in California. When I go anywhere and I see more people than not hidden behind pleated paper or fabric masks, which the CDC finally now admits do not work, I’m disgusted. It reminds me of the “zombie apocalypse” that my sister jokes about being prepared for. Maybe it’s not so funny though because, when you read about the harm that masks can cause and we continue to wear them, we have been reduced to zombies. We’re terrified of a virus but ignore the dangers of the thing we’ve been convinced will protect us from it.

Don’t get me wrong. There are scenarios where I think masks are called for such as in some medical settings like an operating room or lab or when dealing with toxic substances. But think about the ridiculousness of wearing a mask as you walk through a restaurant only to remove it while at your table. Does that mean that when you sit down a barrier is suddenly created around you so that the virus can’t get to you? How about the Plexiglas sheets between you and the next table? Apparently the virus only floats straight into those sheets and cannot float around them. Here’s another crazy thing. The checkers at the grocery store wear the same pair of gloves for who knows how long, often handling cash, and your groceries! They can’t “sanitize” the gloves between customers so does anybody really believe those gloves are protecting anyone?

In my opinion mask mandates are immoral, unconstitutional and are meant as a form of control. This has to be true when you see the very people instituting these mandates defying them time and time again. Do what I say, not what I do, because I have power that you don’t and you must obey me!

Bulls__t! I am offended that our “leaders” think we’re so stupid. I am sad and discouraged that so many people continue to buy the bulls__t. I can’t tell others what choice to make but I have found the courage and choose to practice civil disobedience and say enough is enough. I’m not wearing a mask. If you think I’m a fool, that is your right, but perhaps it’s time that you look at the other side of this. And, if I’m punished for my civil disobedience I will be glad that I stood with the likes of Jesus et al, rather than the zombies.